The Eye Technique: Okuninushi

Hatake Sakumo's eyes welled with tears.

He knelt on the floor, bowing his head until his forehead touched his hands.

"Fucheng-kun, I know that the ocular techniques of the Mangekyo Sharingan have always been the most guarded secrets of the Uchiha clan. This time, I, Hatake Sakumo, owe Clan Leader Fucheng and the Uchiha clan a massive favor. If there is anything I can do, Sakumo will never refuse."

In this moment, it seemed as though the samurai blood of the Hatake clan was boiling within Hatake Sakumo's veins.

Samurai value gratitude above all else.

A kindness as small as a drop of water should be repaid with a gushing spring.

That Fucheng had asked no questions and demanded no return for his help was a testament to his absolute trust.

This trust alone was enough to bring tears to Hatake Sakumo's eyes!

Fucheng reached out to steady him.

"There is no need to talk about owing me favors. When I, Uchiha Fucheng, make friends, I value the person that is Lord Sakumo, not some clan or debt of gratitude."

Fucheng's confident tone and the force behind his gesture left Hatake Sakumo deeply moved.

He did not insist on kneeling further, but his inner resolve had only grown heavier.

Fucheng helped Hatake Sakumo to his feet. "As for trivial matters like clan cooperation, let us not speak of them now. Let us focus on the treatment first; once we have resolved the health issues of Lady Hatake, we can discuss the rest."

Because Uchiha Fucheng intended to use the ocular skills of his Mangekyo, he could not afford to be careless regarding security.

He directly arranged for twelve Uchiha jonin to accompany him as guards.

Uchiha Hezi and Yakushi Nonō, who were part of Hatake Jiangyi's team, were already at Fucheng's residence, so they traveled alongside Misaka Mikoto.

Such a grand procession of over twenty people naturally did not escape the eyes and ears of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and the leader of Root, Shimura Danzō.

While Uchiha Fucheng was still on the road.

Intelligence reports from the Konoha Anbu and Root were already flooding onto both men's desks like snowflakes.

"Uchiha Fucheng took a large group of jonin to Hatake Sakumo's home?" The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, narrowed his eyes.

"Is it the same as that time with Tsunade? It seems the illness of Hatake Sakumo's wife has taken a turn for the worse."

Sarutobi Hiruzen had always hoped that Tsunade could cure the severe illness of Hatake Sakumo's wife.

After all, as a pillar of Konoha, winning Hatake Sakumo over to the Hokage's faction was the best possible outcome.

He simply had not expected that Tsunade's medical ninjutsu would be unable to cure such a critical condition in a woman who had recently given birth.

The very scenario Sarutobi Hiruzen least wanted to see had come to pass!

Fucheng, this newly appointed Uchiha clan leader, seemed exceptionally popular among Konoha's elite.

It was not just Hatake Sakumo; even Tsunade and Orochimaru spoke of him with high praise.

Sarutobi puffed on his pipe, a faint sense of worry lingering in his heart.

"It seems I must change my strategy. I cannot let Shimura Danzō go too far; the surveillance and control he has placed around the Uchiha district should be dismantled sooner rather than later."

Deep within the underground base of Root.

Danzō's thoughts were not much different from those of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

The friendship of the Konoha hero White Fang, the praise of the Konoha princess Tsunade, and the recognition of the Konoha genius Orochimaru all made this Clan Leader Fucheng—who had awakened the Mangekyo—an exceptionally thorny problem.

In the past, he could rely on threatening the Uchiha conservatives to reap benefits.

He could also provoke the Uchiha radicals to stir up internal discord.

He could even use certain moles who had defected from the Uchiha to pass on misleading, secret information.

But ever since this Uchiha Fucheng became the clan leader and head of the household, everything had changed.

The Uchiha conservatives no longer cowered before him.

The Uchiha radicals were no longer as volatile as they once were.

Even the Root surveillance personnel stationed near the Uchiha district had begun to complain that the number of Uchiha jonin patrolling for counter-surveillance was increasing every day.

Lightly touching the bandage covering his right eye, Danzō felt his thoughts churning.

"Are the Uchiha not all naive fools like Kagami? How did such an anomalous freak like Uchiha Fucheng emerge from their ranks?"

At the Hatake compound, Hatake Jiangyi shouted with joy.

"Uncle is back! Uncle has brought Lord Uchiha Fucheng!"

Jiangyi, who had been waiting in Hatake Sakumo's courtyard, saw the figures of Uchiha Fucheng and Sakumo from afar and ran into the house, overjoyed.

He reported the news to his aunt, who was lying in bed.

"Aunt, you are going to get better. Lord Fucheng's healing arts are truly incredible."

After delivering the news, Jiangyi grew excited, opening the door and running out to the courtyard to welcome the others.

The Hatake clan, once nearly a hundred strong, had dwindled down to a mere nine households.

Among the active-duty ninja, aside from Sakumo, only Jiangyi remained as the sole sprout of the clan.

Seeing Jiangyi waiting anxiously at the entrance to welcome them, Sakumo felt a deep sense of guilt.

The gradual withering of the Hatake clan had no small connection to his failure to properly look after his own kin.

In some respects, Sakumo was far too obsessed with procedural justice and fairness.

A gentleman can be deceived by his own principles.

That was precisely the case for Sakumo.

Why must all the men of the Hatake clan be sent to execute extremely dangerous wartime missions?

Why, as one of Konoha's top powerhouses, could his family not have more say in commercial competition?

Often, certain high-ranking officials in the village would use a "grand sense of righteousness" to openly and brazenly bully Sakumo.

Or rather, they were making it clear they intended to bully the Hatake clan.

This type of "rigid gentleman" who upheld traditional samurai values was exactly the kind Konoha's leadership liked best.

Later, Sakumo's suicide was merely the further progression of this very tactic.

Fucheng saw everything clearly.

His mind began to form a plan.

Fucheng commanded the group, "Yashiro, take your men to guard the entire courtyard. Inspect and patrol the surrounding streets; no ninja are allowed to enter. Mikoto's squad members, accompany Lord Sakumo and myself inside for the treatment."

As the Uchiha ninja dispersed to guard the perimeter, a murderous aura permeated the entire courtyard.

Following Uchiha Fucheng and Sakumo into the room, Mikoto, Jiangyi, Hezi, and Nonō took up positions as temporary monitors at various points in the room.

Fucheng looked at Daohe's sickly, pale face and spoke to the group with a grave expression.

"The ocular techniques of the Mangekyo Sharingan are unique to every wielder.

Furthermore, using Mangekyo techniques requires paying a price in backlash, which is why I ordered the perimeter to be secured.

At the same time, I hope that the details of the technique used today will not be spread."

The people in the room replied in unison, "Understood, Lord Fucheng."

Sakumo, in particular, radiated an extremely dangerous aura!

It was as if he would immediately rush out to risk his life should any accident occur.

Seeing Daohe looking nervous, Fucheng gently reassured her, "Madam Hatake, please do not worry. My ocular technique poses no danger to you; just relax and lie still."

As he finished speaking, Uchiha Fucheng's eyes had already transformed into the lightning-tailed, pinwheel-shaped Mangekyo.

[Mangekyo: Okuninushi]

A dense surge of ocular power followed Fucheng's gaze, shining down upon Daohe.

Daohe, who was not a ninja, began to emit a pale green, steam-like chakra from her body.

Accompanied by Fucheng's blue Mangekyo ocular power, it rapidly combed through Daohe's body.

Sakumo caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye: blood was trickling from Uchiha Fucheng's left eye.

Is this the backlash of a special ability?! Sakumo felt even more guilty.

Looking back at his wife, Daohe's skin had become supple, and her previously pale, sickly complexion now glowed with a faint, healthy flush.

Even the dark circles under her eyes, caused by long-term insomnia and neurasthenia, were visibly fading.

Sakumo's breathing grew rapid.

The healing technique of the Mangekyo Sharingan was truly formidable!

It was incredibly effective!